Tag: animals

Childrearing Tips (and Cautionary Tales) From the Animal Kingdom

Parenting Across the Animal Kingdom (start time: 5:02) As humans, we tend to think that we raise our children with more care than any other animal on the planet. After all, human kids depend on their parents on average for much longer than do those of any other species. But are we really so unique in how we care? How do other animals out there care for their young? What are the evolutionary benefits of “it takes a village” childrearing, with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and others playing a big role, as compared to the nuclear family-type model:  mom and dad, or a single mom or dad? And are there evolutionary benefits of  “tough love” and extreme free-range parenting? Science journalist and humorist Elizabeth Preston starting asking such questions after giving birth to her first child nine years ago. She found answers (through scientists and their research, and quirky encounters) in the lives of  beetles, killer whales, Canada jays, elephants, poison frogs, and many more animals. In this week’s show, How On Earth host Susan Moran interviews Preston about her new book, The Creatures’ Guide to Caring: How Animal Parents Teach Us That Humans Were Born to Care.

Hosts: Susan Moran, Joel Parker
Show Producer/Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Engineer: Joel Parker

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GMOs & Health: The Loss of Small Farms and the Rise of Immune Disorders

We look at the strange rise in autoimmune diseases, allergies and asthma, with experts from the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center and with National Jewish Health Immunlogist Andy Liu  in Denver.  And, we explore whether genetically modified crops might be increasing our chance of getting ill, with Agricultural Scientist, Charles Benbrook of The Organic Center.

In this report, Shelley Schlender takes a look at genetically modified crops and other modern farming techniques, and how they might, or might not be, connected to the dramatic rise in immune disorders.  As part of this report, she’ll look into the strange case of a bacteria in GM corn that was NOT supposed to get into human bloodstream.  Recent research indicates that it does.  And she’ll discuss the hygiene hypothesis with  health experts who suggest that our society has become so “clean” that, in some ways, it makes us sick.

Go here for extended interviews with Charles Benbrook, Andy Liu, Carol Shilson, Stefano Guandalini.

Co-hosts: Susan Moran and Joel Parker
Engineer: Tom McKinnon
Executive Producer: Susan Moran
Show Producer: Shelley Schlender

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:07 — 23.0MB)

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